New US Tariffs, A Mass Stabbing in Germany, and Other F*ckin' News

May 24, 2025

UK Signs International Treaty to Protect Lawyers

• On May 14, 2025, the United Kingdom signed the Council of Europe's Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. (Read the full thing by clicking here if you wish.)

• The other 16 countries who have signed the treaty are Andorra, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Iceland, the Republic of Moldova.

• This is the first binding international treaty dedicated solely to safeguarding lawyers from harassment, threats, and interference in their professional duties.

• The Convention mandates that lawyers must be able to perform their professional activities without being subject to physical attacks, threats, harassment, or improper interference.

• It also ensures that professional associations of lawyers can operate as independent, self-governing bodies without external interference.

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2. Ukraine and Russia Conduct Major Prisoner Swap; Russia Launches Drone Attack on Kyiv

• Yesterday, May 23rd, Ukraine and Russia each released 390 prisoners, including 270 military personnel and 120 civilians, as part of a broader agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners per side.

• Today, both nations exchanged an additional 307 prisoners each, bringing the total to 697 individuals returned to their respective countries over two days.

• The exchange was facilitated through direct talks in Istanbul, marking a rare moment of cooperation, although no ceasefire was achieved during the negotiations.

• The Associated Press has video and interviews from both sides of the swap: